Process for extracting potash and other substances from kelp.



I s. R. ()PPENHEI'M. PRQCESS FOR EXTRACTING POTASH AND OTHER SUBSTANCES FROM KELP.

APPUCATiON HLED OCT. 12, 1914.

Patented J nne 1, 1915.

- @rmerzser EINELTED S'llATE ATENT GFFICE.

SIMOL'LQ RUDOLPH GPPENHEID'I, 0F LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE FOURTH TO JULYUS REINHAUS, OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

i -rises.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 1, 1915.

application. filed Getober 12. 1914. Serial No. 866,398.

To ill iii-5cm it concern:

Be it known that l, SIMON Ron-own OP- rem-min, a citizen of the United States, rcsiding at Long Beach, (.lalifornia, have invented a new and useful 1m ovemcnt in Processes for Extracting Potash and other Substances from Kelp, of which the following is a specification.

The improvement of this invention resides in the production of the charred kelp from which the potash is obtained.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide for charring the kelp more quickly and at less expenditure of fuel. A 1000 lbs. charge of kelp when treated by this process may be reduced to a charred'condition in from minutes to one hour. The same charge treated by the old method is apt to require as long as 48 hours treatment in the furnace. This method, for a charge of 1000 lbs. uses about three gallons of oil for fuel; the old method uses about thirty gallons of oil for the'same charge.

Another obiect is to reduce the kelp to a charred condition in such manner as to prevent any waste of potash salts or of other salts. The changing into carbonates of the salts present is almost entirely avoided by reason of the incomplete combustion of this process. the temperature of the burning mass being kept so low that no volatilization or decompos tion will take place. The aver-v ature of the burning kelp within age tempt ie is preferably kept at about the furnr. 350 C.

Still another object of this invention is to treat the help in such a manner that the residue left after the potash has been leached out of the charred mass, will have a greater commercial value than the residue after charting or attempting to char, the charge proc 253 now in use. The residue left after leachnn the char produced by this process cor ts of a pure vegetable darbon which can be used (1) for filtering and deodorlzing purpos (2) medicinal pur poses, for example. carbon tablets; (3) carbon of ar lamps; l) making paint and drawing ink; and {5) correcting soils by fur elements necessary to plant grow 4. 4

By the old method "be nothing but l residue left after t mercial value of at.

no consists of clin I construction.

In carrying out this improved process a down-draft furnace of any convenient design may be used, one or more burners being located above the dried kelp which is pref lower portion of the charge until the whole becomes a glowing mass. But, although the carrying out of this process does not depend upon the design of the furnace chamber, yet it is necessary that a furnace be em.- ployed provided with one or more injector burners adapted to project a flame directly upon the surface of the kelp.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a furnace of a pattern preferred for use in carrying out this process.

Referring to said drawings, Figure l is a plan view of said furnace. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said furnace, a portion of the wall being broken away to show interior Fig. 3 is an elevation of the left end of the furnace shown in Figs. 1 and 2.. Fig. 4 is a cross section on line a:-a; of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a cross section on line m -w of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, within the furnace chamber 1 is located a series of tilting grates 2, which may extend over substantially the entire transverse area of the furnace. Considerably above said grates 2 at the front end of the furnace, is located an injection oil burner 3 surrounded by burner opening 3, the charge of kelp 4: being placed up'on said grates 2. Below said grates is located an elongated receiving pan 5, which is preferablv mounted upon rollers 6 in order that said pan may be readily withdraw through the door 7. Each of the grates '2 is provided with an operating arm or shaft 8 which has a squared end extending through the furnace wall, as shown in Fig. 1, in order that the several grates may be tilted by a suitable tool. In the top of the furnace are the doors or covers 11 which open to pro ide for the insertion of the charge 4.

Near the bottom of the furnace chamber 1 are a plurality of laterally extending dues 15 which lead into a main flue 16 that corn- Suitable means are employed to inanicates with a condenser 31, there being an outlet line 2'2 lit-tween said condenser and the fan 22'; to witlnlraw the air from the furna- 1- by the way of the condenser, thus creature a downdraft through the furnace chamber 1.

.ln the lah ral walls 23 of the furnace are openings :14; closed by doors 2?. These opening 2t enable the operator to insert an iron rake or tool to stir the charge of kelp being charred.

The draft of the furnace may be regulated by means of the dampers In operation the top doors 11 of the furnace are opened and the charge of dried kelp inserted thereat until a thick layer of the kelp 4 is deposited upon the series of grates 9.. The doors 11 are then closed and the burner 3 ignited. The fan 23 being put into operation at this time, the flame of the burnertl will be deflected against the charge of kelp 4. thereby iqniting the upper portion of the charge at a point near the burner. After the burner has been in operation about ten minutes, if a. proper draft has been maintained, the entire mass of kelp will be in a glowingcondition. The. next step in the process is to shut off the burner and continue the combustion by the downward draft until the whole mass of kelp is charred, but no portion thereof incine 'ated. In order to prevent undue heating of any portion of the, mass. an operator will open one of the lateral doors inserting a suitable tool, and stir the kelp throughout. the portion of the charge near said door and then will immediately close the door. but will proceed to open another door and stir the kelp likewise. thus proceeding as may be necessary to properly stir the whole charge until the process is completed. After the entire mass has becomecharred the grates 2 will be tilted thus depositing the charred product into the pan 5 for removal from the furnace.

The object of igniting the kelp layer from the upper surface and maintaining a down draft therethrough is to prevent the moisture from accumulating in the center of the layer. which experience has shown, extinguishe the glowing portion of the mass before the. entire layer becomes charred.

Owing to the cooling effect of the moisture below the flame and to the fact the flame of the burner is only projected against the kelp for about ten minutes. the walls of the furnace do not become excessively hot and there "extinguishing the tlaine and allowing the blazing portion of the kelp to subside to a glowing condition. and thus continuing the combustion by means of a downward draft until the whole charge is charred, but not; incinerated.

2. The process of charring dried kelp for the purpose of extracting potash and other salts. which consists in placing the kelp in a substantially horizontal layer. applying to the top of said layer a direct flame to ignite the upperportion thereof, continuing the application of said flame until a considerable portion of the kelp contiguous thereto is converted to a glowing condition. then discontinuing said flame. the walls of the furnace being maintained in a relatively cool condition. then continuing the down draft of the furnace until the whole layer of kelp is charred but not incinerated.

3. The process of chairing dried kelp. which consists in placing the char in a spe cially constructed down draft furnace. then directing against the upper portion of the kelp mass a flame to heat such portion sulli ciently to bring the same to a glowing con dition, then maintain ng a down draft to draw the moisture away fronrsaid glowing portion of the kelp and increasing the g owing area as the moisture is withdrawn from beneath the same, unt l the entire mass is properly charred, the heat Within all portions of the furnace being constantly maintained at a temperature less than 350 degrees Centigrade.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two sub-.

scribing witnesses at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, this fifith day of October. 1914.

,SIMON RUDOLPH OIIENHEIM. Witnesses ALBERT H. IvIERnILL, M. JENNIE CU'rsnAw. 

